Our Guide to Whitby’s Historic Streets
Here at the Riviera Guesthouse in Whitby, we are thankful for living and working in such a fabulous place on the Yorkshire Coast.
Whitby has a true sense of place.
It has a long history, which is absorbed into the streets, architecture and landscape.
The town is now a popular seaside town, with a history of exploration, semi-precious jet and maritime trades.
Whitby is known as the town of two sides (East and West), and there are plenty of fascinating places to explore.
The mighty River Esk splits the town in two, a 28-mile river that flows into the North Sea.
East Side of Whitby
With Whitby Abbey forming the iconic landmark, the East Side of Whitby is the oldest part of the town.
The Abbey can trace its roots back to around 657AD, with some properties in the area dating from the late 1300s.
Some of the town’s oldest houses can be found in the Church Street are, which aren’t far from the 199 Steps.
St Mary’s Church is also well worth a visit, with its impressive interiors.
The East Side also includes Whitby’s Market Place with the Town Hall dating back to 1788.
The famous Whitby Jet Industry also thrives in this area of the town.
Read our blog about Whitby Jet.
Henrietta Street is named after Henrietta Chomley, an aristocratic family with connections to the Whitby area.
Additional landmarks include Fortunes Kippers, established in 1872.
Read about Fortunes and other local food producers in our tasty blog here.
Captain Cook
Of course, you can’t really visit Whitby without at least acknowledging its connections with Captain Cook.
With links to various places in North Yorkshire, Captain James Cook undertook three worldwide voyages.
These voyages took place in times when ships only had the wind and waves to propel them.
His first round the world voyages, from east to west, charted New Zealand and the East Coast of Australia.
Cook’s second voyage went around the world from West to East, going south towards Antarctica.
The third voyage explored the Pacific Ocean and went in search of the North West Passage in the Arctic.
Visit the Captain Cook museum in Grape Lane.
Grape Lane itself is one of the oldest streets in the town and is narrow yet full of character.
West Side Story
The Riviera Guesthouse, which of course is independent and family-run, is located on the West Cliff, or the West Side of Whitby.
With the Whitby Pavilion just seconds away this side of town also has links to Bram Stoker (author of Dracula).
He stayed around the corner from us at 6 Royal Crescent, and a blue plaque marks the spot.
Love a blood-sucking vampire story? Book your stay with us today!
Piers, Harbours and More
Whitby has many maritime connections which form part and parcel of its history.
You will find one of many blue plaques in Bagdale, Whitby, signifying the town’s connection to the Scoresby family.
William Scoresby Snr was a whaler and invented the Crow’s Nest.
Read our fascinating blog here.
Our blog about the various connections to the sea is a fab read if you’re inspired by the mighty waves, the arching piers and the stalwart lighthouse!
Literary Connections
Both Elizabeth Gaskell and Lewis Carroll have connections to Whitby and there is a blue plaque in Elizabeth’s honour at 1 Abbey Terrace, Whitby.
Elizabeth Gaskell wrote novels including ‘North and South’ and ‘Wives and Daughters’, both of which have been adapted into TV series.
Among her circle there were famous people of the day and who remain in the public imagination today, including Charles Dickens and Charlotte Bronte.
Gaskell penned ‘The Life of Charlotte Bronte’ following her friend’s death in 1855.
Lewis Carroll, who wrote Alice in Wonderland among other books, is also remembered here on the West Cliff.
You can see the blue plaque at 5 East Terrace on the West Cliff.
Shipwrecks
We know the Yorkshire Coast is known for its rocky outcrops and fierce weather.
The North Sea is also known as one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the Northern Hemisphere.
You only need to walk along the two piers which reach out towards the ocean to get an inkling of how difficult life on the ocean wave can be.
Well-known incidents include the Storm of 1861 and the SS Rohilla, a hospital ship than ran aground in 1814.
Discover more about these tragic incidents and more here.
Railways
The arrival of the railway helped transform Whitby, which is still regarded today as a remote place to get to, particularly in winter.
An original line from Whitby to Pickering opened in 1836 (nearly 200 years ago).
In 1845, this line was taken over by the York and North Midland Railway, converted into a double -tracked, steam-worked line.
The company built the present railway station, designed by George Townsend Andrews.
Today, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs locomotives to Whitby Railway Station, and the Esk Valley line to Middlesbrough still runs.
Also, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway also visits Whitby Railway Station at certain times of year.
Photography and Art
Whitby lends itself to the photographic lens, and one of the first people to recognise this as Frank Meadow Sutcliffe.
He produced some of Whitby’s iconic images between the mid 1870s to his death in 1941.
Sculpture Trail
While we’ve delved into some of the historic parts of Whitby, which you can visit and dwell upon at your leisure, there is also the Whitby Sculpture Trail.
This incredible walk features a series of wonderful sculptures created by Emma Stothard.
Other fantastic places to visit include Whitby Museum.
Here you will also find the Pannett Art Gallery, which features the Staithes Collection, an important chapter in the history of art:
What To Do Next
Walking and Whitby are perfect partners if you want to slow down, relax and take in the sights and sounds of history.
This blog is really a whistle-stop exploration of Whitby’s heritage venues and streets, which is best experienced on foot.
Discover some of our favourite things too!
About the Riviera Guesthouse
A stay at the Riviera is all about the views. Most of our bedrooms are sea-facing and we can happily boast they are some of the most sought-after views in the whole of Whitby!
Most of our guests are smitten and one stay is never enough. We regularly welcome back guests who have fallen in love with Whitby and fallen in love with our sea views.
Our 15 spacious en-suite bedrooms are renowned for their originality. Each has been uniquely designed to suit individual tastes. And what’s more, they are beautifully furnished with lots of modern comforts so you enjoy a restful and cosy stay.
